As a small business owner, you have multiple avenues to promote your brand. You can choose traditional advertising or dive into the dynamic world of digital marketing. Additionally, networking events, conferences, and professional gatherings are excellent opportunities to build brand awareness.

However, many small businesses increasingly turn to public relations (PR) to shape their image and attract potential customers. PR can be a game changer, offering a cost-effective way to enhance visibility and credibility. By strategically managing how your brand is portrayed in the media, you can foster a positive reputation and establish lasting connections with your audience.

In this blog, we'll explore the role of PR in small business success, its numerous benefits, and practical tips to leverage PR for maximum impact. Understanding and implementing PR strategies can propel your brand to new heights, whether you are just starting or looking to expand your reach.

What is public relations (PR)?

Public relations, or PR, is a tactic brands and public figures use to control how they are portrayed in the media. Brands generally use PR to release announcements, share details about new projects, and more. With PR, a brand or public figure is portrayed positively and shared with the right audience.

What is PR for small businesses?

PR can be a game changer for small businesses. Developing a brand and drawing awareness of that brand is essential for a small business, and PR can make this easier. PR can give voices to small businesses and set them up for growth. As they grow into more widely known brands, small businesses can continue to leverage positive media relationships and interactions by laying the groundwork for these connections.

Why is PR for Small Businesses beneficial?

Small businesses can benefit from PR, including enhanced brand awareness, control of their brand image, and more.

Enhance Brand Awareness

PR helps you draw attention to your brand by getting media and press coverage. With PR, you can land spots in digital publications, print magazines, newspapers, blogs, newsletters, and other media outlets with large followings. By collaborating with these media outlets, you can get your brand in front of more people.

Control Brand Image

One of the most significant benefits of PR for small businesses is that it allows you to control your brand's image. By working with the media and creating unique stories, you can shape how your brand is presented. When you control your brand image, you are more likely to influence how people perceive it. A good PR strategy considers your target audience, the social climate, and more to present your brand best. The positive press also improves your business's legitimacy in the eyes of investors, partners, prospective buyers, and more.

Budget-Friendly

PR can be cheaper than digital marketing and paid ads. You need to write a press release and send it to some journalists to get coverage for a story or announcement from your small business. You can start these initiatives with little money and spend more to run more powerful PR campaigns if you can.

Create Community Connections

Community plays a vital role for many businesses, especially those with brick-and-mortar locations or that rely on referrals. PR helps you create connections within your community and lay your roots for greater brand growth. A PR strategy that targets local publications can prioritize coverage throughout your community.

Highlight Achievements

PR highlights your brand's achievements. Although you can post about your wins on social media, you can amplify these wins by getting traditional media coverage through PR. When major publications recognize your achievements, you can cite that recognition repeatedly, creating a lasting benefit for your brand's reputation.

Create Leverage for Future Endeavors

You can use positive media coverage for partnerships or to attract investors to your business. Positive media attention makes your brand seem more legitimate. It also shows partners opportunities to draw attention to their other initiatives.

PR Tips for Small Businesses

A bit of strategy and effort go a long way with PR. Small business owners can amplify their public relations efforts in many ways. Here are some tips to make the most of your PR strategies:

Create a Media Kit

Media kits are not just for performers and artists. It's a good idea to include a media kit with your PR pitches to make it easy for outlets to cover your brand accurately.

A media kit should include a bio, a short boilerplate, brand assets like logos and images, a link to your website, past press features, contact information, and any other relevant information. Ensure your media kit looks good, is easy to access, and is well-organized so journalists can find everything they need without much effort.

Use PR Tools and Technology

Many PR tools are available to help small businesses handle public relations in-house. Some tools connect brands with media outlets, while others help find journalists. Popular PR tools include PR Web, Help a Reporter Out (HARO), Hootsuite, PR Log, Online PR Media, Coverage Book, and Business Wire. Check them out to see which ones fit best in your PR strategy.

Tell a Story

When getting press for a project or your brand, create a narrative that resonates with others. This helps people connect with your story and increases the chances of getting picked up by a publication. Storytelling is crucial for small businesses because, with widespread recognition, it can be easier to catch the attention of publications, journalists, and readers with just your brand name.

Partner with Influencers

Partnerships with influencers can be leveraged by small businesses to gain attention for their brands and projects. This type of partnership generally happens through a brand collaboration on a product line or by having an influencer as a brand ambassador or spokesperson.

For example, a deal can be signed with a fitness influencer to become an ambassador for your gym equipment brand. A press release can be submitted to publications and used as an opportunity to make some noise about the new partnership. More publications are incentivized to pick up the pitch by having well-known names in your headlines. This can also get viewers to pay closer attention to your stories.

Get Involved in the Community

Participating in community events is a great way to get good press for your small business. You can sponsor events organized by community groups or organize your own to empower and uplift those around you. Your community will appreciate your involvement, and local publications will likely provide coverage.

Sign Up for Google Alerts

Google offers many free tools, and Google Alerts can notify you whenever your brand is mentioned online. Use it to track PR initiatives or identify press you didn't know you had. Staying on top of positive and negative coverage helps you manage your brand's narrative.

Build Relationships with the Media

PR depends a lot on relationships with the media. Build positive relationships with journalists, editors, and other key people at publications. This can help you get coverage for your business's accomplishments, announcements, and more. Make media contacts at networking events, online, or through introductions from other professionals. These relationships are give-and-take, so you might have to offer exclusive news for prime coverage. Get creative in forming these relationships so both parties benefit.

Use Social Media

Social media has become an extension of traditional media. Control your brand's image by curating social media pages to reflect your business values. Keep an attractive aesthetic and ensure your content represents your brand values.

Highlight Experts in Your Company

Expert opinions or advice from your business's leadership team captures readers' attention and establishes thought leadership. For example, have your CEO submit a pitch about fashion trends for the coming season if you own a wholesale clothing business.

Host an Event

Hosting an event allows you to connect with the public and the media. Popular events include ribbon cuttings, facility naming ceremonies, groundbreaking ceremonies, team member initiations, and product releases. Carefully choose the media outlets and journalists you invite to ensure you get coverage in the most relevant publications. You can also host a charitable event supporting your community or a conference highlighting your team's expertise.

In conclusion, PR is a powerful tool for small businesses, providing a cost-effective way to boost brand awareness, control your brand image, and foster valuable community connections. By implementing strategic PR practices, you can highlight your achievements, create leverage for future endeavors, and build strong relationships with the media. Remember, a little effort can go a long way in making your PR strategy successful. Start by creating a compelling media kit, leveraging PR tools, and telling your brand's unique story. Engage with influencers, participate in community events, and utilize social media to amplify your reach. With dedication and creativity, PR can propel your small business to new heights, helping you achieve lasting success and recognition.